Feed-interrupting mechanism for paper-feeding machines



L. J, FROH N FEED INTERRUPTING MECHANISM FOR PAPER FEEDING MACHINES 21 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 6

July 29; 1924.. 1,502,663

L. J. FROHN FEED INTERRUPTING MECHANISM FOPCPAPER FEEDING MACHINES Filed Oct. 6. 1921 s Sheets-Sheet 2 July 29, 1924,

L. J. FROHN FEED INTERRUPTING MECHANISM FOR PAPER FEEDING MACHINES Filed Oct. 6, 192. 3 SheetsSheet 3 IN VE N T 01? (/W ated July 29, 1924.

LEONARD JOSEPH FRO HDT, OF LYNBROOK, NEW YORK.

FEED-INTERBUPTING MECHANISM FOR PAPER-FEEDING- MACHINES.

Application filed October 6, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD Josnrrr FRoHN, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Lynbrook, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feed-Interrupting Mechanism for Paper- Feeding Machines, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention relates generally to so called paper feeding machines, designed to automatically withdraw paper sheets one at a time from a stack or pile thereof and advance the Withdrawn sheets successively to a printing press or a ruling machine or to some other type of machine designed to operate in one.way or another upon paper sheets, with more particular reference to appurtenant mechanism for automatically rendering the withdrawing means ineffective or otherwise preventing further withdrawals from the stack-and checking deliveries to the ruling, printing or other paper-operating machine in case sheets stick together.

or for any other reason more than a single sheet at a timeis withdrawn and advanced. In an earlier application, filed August 22, 1921, Serial No. 494,285, I have shown and described a paper feeding machine, and in illustrating and describing a practical and convenient embodiment of the present invention I have chosen to show the same as sociated with and appurtenant to the machine of my aforesaid earlier application.

It is to be understood, however, that the feed-interrupting mechanism of my invention'may with equal eflicacy be used in connection with any other lmownand approved type or make of feeding machine.

The trouble with most feed or sheet interrupting mechanisms which have come to my attention is that which grows out of the comparative thinness of a-sheetof paper and the consequent difliculty of insuring-the transmission of appreciable movement by two superposed sheets under conditions where no movement:- would be transmitted by one sheeta-l0ne-this difliculty being rendered greater in inverse proportion to the weight of the stock being'handled. It is thought to be obvious that there can be but one principal object of an invention such as the one involved in the machine disclosed herein, and that is the production of mechanism which will be reliable or dependable in the performance of its intended func- Serial No. 505,727.

h machines of different types or forms.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which I have illustrated what I consider a practical and convenient embodiment of the invention, together with such parts of a paper feeding machine as I believe necessary to be shown for a thorough understanding of the operation of the appurtenant device, and in which Fig. l is a side elevation of sheet or feed interrupting mechanism embodying my invention, with a partly sectional similar view of a portion of the. feeding machine;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation taken from the other side of themachine of what may be termed the actuating means of the interrupter;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken sub stantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;v

Fig. 4 is a partly sectional end elevation of Fig. 1, showing the mechanism for checking delivery of the advancing sheets; i

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional side view thereof, taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a similar and more amplified view ofthe same with the parts moved to engaging or-checking positions, and

Fig. 7 is a section taken substantially on the broken line 7-7 of Fig. 5. I

Referring now to the drawings in detail, I have shown in Fig. 1 a suction wheel 52 adjustably mounted on a driven shaft 49, this wheel 52 being of the open-face cylinder type and being provided with peripheral perforations through which air is progressively drawn by means of a suction head or 'shoe 64 held by its own weight against the 70 and adjusted thereon by means of forward gauge-bars 92 and other adjustable gauges (not shown). The top of the front edge of the stack 69 is designed to be ositioned just underneath the wheel 52 w ereby, when air is partially exhausted from the head or shoe 64 the top sheet of the stack will be drawn u against the periphery of the rotating whee and, as the points of suction advance progressively, rotation of said wheel will serve to withdraw the top sheet engaged thereby and advance the same to positive engagement thereof between the driven roller 128 and the gravity-positioned idler roller 131. The driven roller 128 carries a series of endless tapes 129 for advancing the withdrawn sheets in succession to the ruling or other machine to which it is designed that the sheets be fed.

All of the foregoing arts of the feedin machine, together with t e operation thereo and their connections, supports and means of actuation, are shown and described in detail in my co-pending application aforesaid, and it is therefore considered that the above brief description is suflicient. So far as the present invention is concerned, it is only necessary to know that sheets of paper are being withdrawn, one at a time, so far as can be, and fed by the tape conveyor to the desired point ofultimate delivery.

The conveyor-frame of the feeding machine includes the side-bars 122 and 122',

and upon these side-bars are mounted the standards 160 and 163 and their opposite counterparts 160 and 163' which, in addition to their function in connection with the feeding machine proper as fully described,

in my aforesaid earlier application, I employ for the support of a portion of my appurtenant sheet or feed interrupting '161, is fra mechanism. I also employ the angle-bar 167 supported from cross-rods (one of which,

entarily shown in Fig. 2) between the side-bars 122 and 122' at the bases of the standards 160 and 163 and their opposite counterparts, to the vertical wing of this angle-bar 167 being screwed or otherwise suitably secured the vertical wing of an angle-block 11 which forms part of a bracket which includes the bearing block 12 and the upwardly rojecting arms '13 and r ends of the arms 13 and 20 into the end of the horizontal portion of which is screwed the threaded end of a stud or axle 21. Loose upon the stud 0r axle 21 is a sleeve 22 havin a dividin flange 23 which separates a. W eel 24 fixe upon said sleeve at the outer end thereof from a disc-wheel 25 loose thereon-in fact, so loose thereon that there is considerable play, as shown in Fig.3. The wheel 24 is very slightly less in diameter than the disc-wheel 25 and is formed to provide a weight 26 on one side thereof whereby, being loosely mounted on the stud or axle 21 it will be yieldingly held by gravity against .rotation. Near the end of the vertical portion of the arm 20 Ihave shown a screwpin, 27 passing through a suitable aperture in said arm and screwed into the vertical wing of the angle-block 11, said pin having a head 28 which provides a. shoulderstop against which the vertical portion of said arm 20 is yieldingly pressed by means of a spring 29 in compression between said arm-portion and the angle-block 11, whereby the position of the wheel 24 relative to the pulley-wheel 16 below the same may be adjusted to a high degree of exactitude by turning the screw-pin 27.

Loosely mounted on the cross rod or shaft 162 between the upper ends of the standards 160 and 160 is a sleeve or collar 30 from which projects forwardly an arm or lever 31 the free end of which is designed to be located in the path of movement of each of two pins 32 and 33 mounted in and projecting from the weighted portion 26 of the wheel 24. From the.- sleeve or collar 30 project downwardly two arms, 34 and 35, pivoted at the end of the former being the 'end of a rod 36 and pivoted at the end of the latter being the end of a rod 37. Upon the tube 'or hollow shaft 57 is mounted a sleeve or collar valve 38 adapted through the bringing of slots into and out of registry in a common and well-known manner to open and close the interior of said tube or hollow shaft to the atmosphere. This sleeve or collar valve 38 is rotated or rocked by means of an arm 39 thereon to the end of which is pivoted the other end of the rod 36. The cross rod or shaft 165 between the upper ends of the standards 163 and 163 is journaled in bearings in said standards, and keyed to said shaft 165 is a collar 40 having an arm 41 at the .end of which is pivoted the other end of the rod 37. Ad-

justably keyed on said shaft is another collar 42 from "which projects an elongated finger 43 having a head 44 at the free end thereof in which is mounted a preferably soft rubber knob or button 45. This finger 43 is adjusted to be positioned about mid way of an advancing sheet, and is adapted to be oscillated from a position well clear of such sheet to a position in which the knob or button v45 impinges upon said sheet, a guide and supportin plate 46 being suitaably-mounted just be ow the point of impact of said knob or button.

I have referred to a very slight difference in diameters between the wheels 24 and 25. This difference may be said to be approximately that of the thickness of a sheet of paper from stock of average weight, and it will be apparent that the ratio of effective diameters may, be slightly varied and adjusted to an extreme degree of nicety by means of the screw 27, the loose bearings of the wheel permitting it to continue to rest under its own weight on the cylindrical or roller portion of the pulleywheel 16 while the wheel 24 is slightly raised or lowered with relation thereto. Initial adjustment is made such that a sheet of paper of the thickness of those desired to be fed will pass under the idly rotating wheel 25 and also under the weighted wheel 24, possibly barely contacting with the latter but Without suflicient pressure to effect rotation of the same against the action of the weight 26. If, however, two or more sheets are at the same time passed under said wheels, the increased thiclmess of the traveling unit will be suflicient to cause frictional engagement of the wheel 24' and rotation of the same against the action of its weight, thereby causing the pins 32 and 33 to successively impinge against the lever-arm 31 and oscillate the latter in a clockwise direction (Fig. 1').

Such oscillation of this lever-arm 31 will manifestly have a two-fold effect. First, the arm 34 will be swung to reciprocate the rod 36 rearwardly, with the effect of opening the valve 38, thereby opening the interior of the tube or hollow shaft 57 to the atmosphere and thus rendering rotation of the suction wheel 52 inefiective, wherefore a sheet can no longer be picked up and withdrawn from the pile ,or stack 69. Secondly, the arm will be swung to reciprocate the rod 37 forwardly, with the effect of rockingv the shaft 165 and swinging the finger 43 down until the knob or button 45 at the end thereof impinges against the two or more superposed sheets which have just passed under the wheels 24 and 25, clamping saidsheets between said button and the plate 46 with sufficient pressure to prevent delivery thereof to the ruling or otlrr machine to which sheets are being fed. The

checked superposed sheets having been re-v moved, the parts may be quickly and readily restored to their normal or initial relative positions and effective operation of the machine rencwed. It will be noted that there is no stopping and starting of-the feeding machine when the feed thereof has been thus interrupted; its operation has merely been rendered temporarly ineffective.

I have referred to the arm 41,. to the end of which is pivoted the end oftherod 37, as projecting from the collar 40. As a matter of fact, if this connection were rigid, adjustment of the exact arc of oscillation of the finger 43 would be too diflicult to insure uniformly proper impact and continued pressure of the knob or button 45 against thesheets above the plate 46. On this account, I prefer to make the connection flexible through dividing the shaft 165, as shown in Fig. 7, mounting the collar 40 at the end of one section thereof and another collar 40 at the contiguous end of the other shaft-section, the arm 41 projecting from the collar 40. Pins 47 and 48 are passed through longitudinally slotbores 50 and 51 (Fig. 5) in the'collar 40 and screwed into the end of the collar 40, whereby the two sections of the shaft 165 may be rocked through a slight arc relative to and independently of each other. I have shown slidably mounted on the finger 43 a weight 53 which is initially or normally in the positon indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, where its effect is that of tending to retain said finger in its raised or inoperative position,

as will be seen from Fig. 5. .When the shaft 165 is rocked to depress said finger, this weight 53 will slide by gravity to the other end of said finger, as indicated in Fig. 6, whereby the weight and not the rod 37 completes the stroke of the finger, in view. of the flexible pin-and-slot connection, and makes uniform and yielding the pressure of the knob or button 45 against the sheets advancement of which it is desired to arrest. 7

Many modifications of minor details" of my improved feed interrupting mechanism for paper feeding machines will doubtless readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which it appertains, and I therefore do not desire to limit my invention to the specific construction herein shown and described.

I claim 1. In a paper-feeder, a paper support, a suction feeding device to successively withdraw the top sheet only from the support, means for advancing the withdrawn-sheets,

and means to cut off the suction from said feeding device and to check the delivery of sheets independently of the movement of said advancin means when two or more sheets are with rawn and advanced in superposed or overlapping relationship.

2. In a paper-feeder, a paper support, a suction feed-Wheel to successively withdraw the top sheet only from the support, means for advancing the withdrawn sheets, and means to cut off the suction from said feed.-

ing device and simultaneously to check the 60 sheet only of the stack, and means for con- -more sheets are withdrawn and advanced in superposed or overlapping relationship.

3. In a paper-feeder, a paper support, means for successively withdrawing the top sheet only from the support, means for advancing the withdrawn sheets, and means rendered operative when two or more sheets are withdrawn and advanced in superposed or overlapping relationship to intermit the action of said withdrawing means and clamp said superposed sheets when delivered from said advancing means;

4. In a paper-feeder, a paper support, means for successively Withdrawing the top sheet only from the support, means for advancing the withdrawn sheets, and means rendered operative when two or more sheets are withdrawn and advanced in superposed pass, an idler roller mounted above said driven roller and spaced therefrom a distance approximating the thickness of the sheets being fed, and means actuated by rotation of said idler roller for rendering operation of said engaging and withdrawing means ineffective and simultaneously checking delivery of sheets from said advancing means.

6. In a paper feeding machine, the combination, with means for supporting a stack of paper sheets, means normally operable to repeatedly engage and Withdraw the top sheet only of-the stack, and means for continuing advancement in succession of the withdrawn sheets, of a driven roller over which the advancing sheets are adapted to pass, an idler roller yieldingly and adjustably mounted above said driven roller and spaced therefrom a distance approximating the thickness of the sheets being fed, and meansactuated by rotation of said idler roller 'for rendering operation of said engaging and withdrawing means ineffective and simultaneously checking delivery of sheets from said advancing means.

7. In a paper feeding machine, the combination, with means for supporting a stack of paper sheets, means normally operable to repeatedly engage and withdraw the top tinuing advancement in succession of the withdrawn sheets, of a roller driven from a moving element of said advancing means over which the advancing sheetsare adapted to pass, an idler roller yieldingly and adjustably mounted above said driven roller and spaced therefrom a distance approximating the thickness of the sheets being fed, and

means actuated by rotation of said idler roller for rendering operation of said engaging and withdrawing means inefiective and simultaneously checking delivery of sheets from said advancing means.

8. In a paper feeding machine, the combination, withmeans for supporting a stack of paper sheets, means normally operable to ously checking delivery of sheets from said advancing means.

9. In a paper feeding machine, the combination, with means for supporting a stack of paper sheets, means normally operable to repeatedly engage and withdraw the top sheet only of the. stack, and means for continuing advancement in succession of the withdrawn sheets, of a roller driven from a moving element of said advancin .means and an idler roller resting thereon etween which rollers the advancing sheets are adapted to pass, a second idler roller yieldingly mounted above said driven roller, spaced therefrom a distance approximating the thickness of the sheets being fed and adjustable vertically independently of said firstmentioned idler roller, and means actuated by rotation of said spaced idler roller for rendering operation of said engaging and withdrawing means ineffective and simultaneously checking delivery of sheets from said advancing means.

10. In a paper feeding machine, the combination, with means for supporting a stack of paper sheets, means normally operable to repeatedly engage and withdraw the' top sheet only of the stack, and means for continuing advancement in succession of the withdrawn sheets, of a driven roller over which the advancing sheets are adapted to pass, an idler roller mounted above said driven roller and spaced therefrom a distance approximating the thickness of the sheets being fed, means for yieldingly holding said idler roller against; rotation in a predetermined initial position, and means actuated by rotation of said idler roller for. rendering operation of said enga ing and withdrawing means ineffective an simulto repeatedly engage and withdraw the top sheet only of the stack, and means for continuing advancement in succession of the withdrawn sheets, of normally inert mechanism for rendering operation of said engaging and withdrawing means ineffective, normally inert mechanism for checking delivery ofsheets from said advancing means, and means for simultaneously actuating said mechanisms when two or more sheets are withdrawn and advanced in superposed or overlapping relationship, said last-mentioned means comprising a driven roller over which the advancing sheets are adapted to pass, an idler roller mounted above said driven roller and spaced therefrom a distance approximating the thickness of the sheets being fed, means having operative connection with each of said mechanisms, and means for actuating said operating means upon rotation of said idler roller.

12. In a paper feeding machine, the combination, with means for supporting a stack of paper sheets, means normally operable to repeatedly engage and withdraw the top sheet only of the stack, and means for continuing advancement in succession of the withdrawn sheets, of normally inert mechanism for rendering operation of said engaging and withdrawing means ineffective, normally inert mechanism for checking delivery of sheets from said advancing means, and means for simultaneously actuating said mechanisms when two or more sheets are withdrawn and advanced in superposed or overlapping relationship, said last-mentioned means comprising a driven roller over which the advancing sheets are adapted to pass, an idler roller mounted above said driven roller and adjustably spaced therefrom a distance approximating the thickness of the sheets being fed, means having operative connection with each of said mechanisms and including an actuating lever, and means on said idler roller for engaging and actuating said lever upon rotation of said roller. 13. In a paper feeding machine, the combination, with means \for supporting a stack of paper sheets, means normally operable to repeatedly engage and withdraw the top sheet only of the stack, and means for continuing advancement in succession of the withdrawn sheets, of normally inert mechanism for rendering operation of said engaging and withdrawing means ineffective, normally inert mechanism for checking delivery of sheets from said advancing means, and means for simultaneously actuating said mechanisms when two or more sheets are withdrawn and advanced in superposed or overlapping relationship, said lastmentioned means comprising a driven roller over which the advancing sheets are adapted to pass, an idler roller mounted above said driven roller and adjustably spaced therefrom a distance approximating the thickness of the sheets being fed, means-for yieldingly holding said idler roller against rotation in a predetermined initial position, means having operative connection with each of said mechanisms and including an actuating lever, and means on said idler roller for engaging'and actuating said lever upon rotation of said roller.

14. In a paper feeding machine, the combination, with means for supporting a stack of paper sheets, means normally operable to repeatedly engage and withdraw the top sheet only of the stack, and means for continuing advancement in succession of the withdrawn sheets, of normally inert mech-. anism for rendering operation of said engaging and withdrawing means inelfective, normally inert mechanism for checking delivery of sheets from said advancing means, and means for simultaneously actuating said mechanisms when two or more sheets are withdrawn and advanced in superposed or overlapping relationship, said last-mentioned means comprising a driven roller over which the advancing sheets are adapted to pass, an idler roller adjustably mounted above said driven roller and spaced therefrom a distance approximating the thickness of the sheets being fed, means for yieldingly holding said idler roller against rotation in a predetermined initial position, a pair of levers having a common actuating lever and I each having operative connection with one of said mechanisms, and means on said idler roller for engaging and oscillating said actuating lever upon rotation of said roller.

- 15. -Mechanism for controlling machines operating upon sheets or signatures having in combination, means for advancing sheets, a driven roller over which the sheets are advanced, an idler roller mounted above said driven roller and spaced therefrom a distance approximating the thickness of the sheets being fed, and means actuated by the rotation of said idler roller for rendering said advancin means inelfective.

16. Mechanism for controlling machines operating upon sheets or signatures having in combination, means for advancing sheets, a driven roller over which the sheets are advanced, an idler roller yieldingly and adjustably' mounted above said driven roller and spaced therefrom a distance approximating the thickness of the sheets being fed,

and means actuated by the rotation of said in combination, means for advancing'sheets,

' a driven roller over which the sheets are ad 'vanced, and actuated by said advancing means, an idler roller yieldingly and'adjustably mounted above said driven roller and spaced therefrom a distance approximating the thickness of the sheets being fed, and

means actuated by the rotation of said idler;

roller for rendering said advancing means ineifective.

18. Mechanism for controlling machines operating upon sheets or signatures having in combination, means for advancing sheets, a driven roller and an idler roller between which the sheets are advanced, a second idler roller mounted above said driven roller and" a driven roller actuated by said advancing means and an idler roller between which the the thickness of the sheets being fed, means for yieldingly holding said idler roller in a predetermined initial position, and means actuated by rotation of said idler roller for" rendering said advancing means ineffective.

tance approximating the thickness of the sheets are advanced, a second idler rolleryieldingly mounted above said driven roller and spaced therefrom a distance approximating the thickness of the sheets being fed, means for adjusting said second idler roller vertically and independently of the .first idler roller, and means actuated by rotation of second idler roller for rendering said advancing meansinefi'ective;

20. Mechanism for controlling machines operating upon sheets or signatures having in combination, means for advancing sheets, a driven rollergover which the advanced sheets pass, an idler roller mounted above sheets being fed, and means actuated by the movement of said member for rendering said advancing means ineffective.

23. In a paper feeder, means for advancing successive sheets from a pile, a driven roller and an idler roller between which the sheets are advanced, an oscillatable member mounted adjacent said idler roller and above said driven roller and spaced therefrom a distance appoximating the thickness of'the sheets being fed, and means actuated by the movement of said member for rendering said advancing means ineffective.

24. In a paper feeder, means for advancing successive sheets from a pile, a driven roller over which the sheets are advanced, an oscillatable member mounted above said driven roller and spaced therefrom a distance approximating the thickness of the sheets being fed, means for adjusting said member vertically. with respect to said driven roller, and means actuated by the movement of said member for rendering said advancing means inefi'ective.

a 25. In a paper feeder, means for advanc ing successive sheetsfrom a pile, a driven roller and an idler roller between which the sheets are advanced, an oscillatable member mounted adjacent said idler roller and above said driven roller and spaced therefrom a distance approximating the thickness of the sheets being fed, means for adjusting said member vertically and independently of said idler roller,"and means actuated by the movement of said member for rendering said advancing means ineffective.

In testimony of the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

LEONARD JOSEPH FROHN.

Witnessesi G. W. SWART, HARRY EHLIG. 

